Introduction
The Chardonnay grape is Australia’s most widely planted white wine variety, the range of styles produced is quite 
diverse. Given the fact that widespread planting in Australia has been a relatively recent phenomenon, styles are constantly evolving and being refined, yet quite a lot of Chardonnays can already compete with the best in the world.
Of all the white types, Chardonnay responds best to winemaker crafting, which broadens the style possibilities, with winemakers producing wines that they believe are most desired. These wines were big, rich and full-bodied with most lasting as much as five years.
Australian Winemakers are now responding to the personality of the fruit before intervening in the winery. Some of the excellent Chardonnays come from Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills (pictured above), Margaret River, Hunter Valley, McLaren Vale and also Tasmania. See my reviews below on some of the best of Australian Chardonnays.
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What do the ratings mean?
| Score | Explanation |
|---|---|
| 95–100 | A classic great wine |
| 90–94 | An outstanding wine of superior character and style |
| 85–89 | A very good wine with special qualities |
| 80-84 | A good solid, well-made wine |
| 75–79 | A mediocre wine, drinkable but may have minor flaws |
| 50–74 | Not recommended |
The best selling wines you need to try:
1) Product: Jacob’s Creek Reserve Chardonnay
Where to buy best: Wine.com
Vintage: 2014
Bottle: 750 ml
Alcohol: 12.1%
Location: Adelaide Hills
Rating: 88/100
Price: Discounted from $13 to $11.99
Wine Tasting Notes
An excellent cool climate expression of Chardonnay with fresh lemon citrus and delicate white peach flavors evident on the palate. Attractive toasty oak notes are supported on a backbone of soft mineral acidity and creamy texture that adds balance and length to this delicate style. A very nice, affordable and drinkable wine for everyday. One of my personal favourites.
Wine Makers Notes
With over 150 years of making wine in the Barossa Valley, Jacob’s Creek’s winemaking philosophy is to make high quality wines in a contemporary Australian style, which are fresh, elegant, great tasting and show true varietal character. From its beginnings in 1847, a young Bavarian immigrant named Johann Gramp planted the Barossa Valley’s first commercial vineyard on the banks of Jacob’s Creek. His first vineyard was in a small ironstone winery and visitors can still walk the historic vineyard, inspect the original cellar and feel a true sense of place for Jacob’s Creek. Today, Jacob’s Creek is one of the leading forces of Australian wine, creating wines with true character with a variety of different offerings from its portfolio.
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2) Product: Hardys Nottage Hill Chardonnay
Where to buy best: Wine.com
Vintage: 2012
Bottle: 750 ml
Alcohol: 13.5%
Location: McLaren Vale
Rating: 87/100
Price: Discounted from $13 to $9.99
Wine Tasting Notes
Lifted ripe stone fruit characters of white peach and nectarine with toasty oak hints adding complexity. A well balanced wine with plenty of stone fruit and lively citrus characters giving great flavor and a pleasant lingering finish. Seamlessly integrated vanilla oak gives complexity, while a tight acid structure provides backbone that enhances flavor depth and length.
Wine Makers Notes
Thomas Hardy created his first slice of history by shipping two hogsheads of wine to England. This is commonly applauded as marking Australia’s entry into the wine export market. With his Bankside cellars expanding throughout the 1860’s towards capacity, Thomas looked again for expansion. He headed south to the now famous wine district of McLaren Vale, adding the struggling property of Tintara to his growing portfolio of wineries and vineyards. It was at Tintara that Thomas Hardy’s winemaking genius was to be recognised on a world stage. A gold medal in 1882 awarded at the prestigious International Wine Show in Bordeaux, payed tribute to the man and his ability. In 1889 he experienced further international success with a gold medal at the much heralded Paris exhibition.
In 1982, 129 years after Thomas Hardy & Sons was founded on the banks of the River Torrens, history turned a full circle with the Hardy family purchasing the Reynella based winery of Walter Reynella & Sons.
Hardys continued to grow and develop throughout the later 20th century culminating with a merger between Thomas Hardy & Sons and Berri Renmano in 1992, forming Australia’s second largest wine company.
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3) Product: Yalumba Organic Chardonnay
Where to buy best: Wine.com
Vintage: 2014
Bottle: 750 ml
Alcohol: 13.5%
Location: Barossa and Eden Valley
Rating: 89/100
Price: Discounted from $17.99
Wine Tasting Notes
Aromas of lemon myrtle, pineapple on the nose with hints of stone fruit, peach and melon. Peach and melon initially on the palate leads into a rich orange pannacotta mid palate with a long length of flavour. The palate finishes with the lingering flavours of curry leaf and pesto.
Wine Makers Notes
Yalumba is Australia’s oldest family-owned winery, founded in 1849 by Samuel Smith. From modest beginnings, the Yalumba Wine Company has grown to become one of Australia’s most successful wineries, owned by 5th generation Robert Hill-Smith. Yalumba regularly receives accolades for its outstanding wines, and for its leadership in viticultural innovation and sustainable farming. Yalumba was the first winery in the world to be recognized with the Climate Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (2007), earned the International Green Apple Gold Award from House of Commons (U.K. 2011), and was the first winery outside the United States to win the BRIT International Award of Excellence in Sustainable Wine growing Competition (2013). The Yalumba portfolio commences with the fresh and flavoursome varietal wines of the Y Series, then moves up to the Samuel’s Garden line to capture the essence of the classic Rhone-influenced varietals of the Barossa and Eden Valleys, explores sub-regional complexity through innovative, modern wines in the Hand Picked line, and culminates with the coveted, collectible Yalumba Rare and Fine wines including Signature and Octavius.
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4) Product: Robert Oatley Signature Chardonnay
Where to buy best: Wine.com
Vintage: 2014
Bottle: 750 ml
Alcohol: 12.5%
Location: Margaret River
Rating: 90/100
Price: Discounted from $17 to $14.99
Wine Tasting Notes
A bright, mid-weight, white peach-accented, gently oaked wine, grown on selected sites across Australia’s highest performing Chardonnay region. Enjoy from now to 2020.
Wine Makers Notes
Famed Australian Vintners, Bob and Sandy Oatley, founders of Rosemount Estate, began their next wine venture to pay homage to the many terrific regions of Australia and the grapes most suited to the terroir.
Wherever he makes wine, Bob Oatley’s underlying philosophy is to find the right vineyard with the right soil and match it to the right variety.
With the guidance of winemaker, Larry Cherubino, Robert Oatley Vineyards shares the expression of regions, such as Margaret River, McLaren Vale, Yarra Valley, Great Southern and Central Ranges.
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Please feel free to leave a comment or any questions you might have and I will make sure to come back to you within 24 hours.
Jerry, years ago we lived in northern New South Wales. We decided to take a trip to the Stanthorpe area ( a well know apple growing region) and take in some wineries. Just after hitting the Queensland border we saw a small sign for Girraween Estate Vineyard. Our idea of a wine tour is ‘if you see it turn in’. So we did. It turned out that it was the first day the vineyard was open to outsiders. Their specialty and award winning wine was a chardonnay. And boy was it good. We ended up ‘enrolling’ so we could order from home.
The area is in the Girraween and Bald Mountain National Parks. These are noted for their spring wildflowers and lots and lots of granite boulders. So a visit to this vineyard can be made into a significant holiday trip.
I can certainly recommend that anyone loving their chardonnay and a lovely surrounding country side visit the area.
Thanks Helen for sharing this information on a new Chardonnay. Yes, the spur of the moment decisions often lead to the discovery of some hidden or in your case new gems. You know, visiting Australian vineyards is on my to do list and I will certainly add this one to it. Based on the rating system indicated on my website, what rating would you give this Girraween Estate Chardonnay? Cheers, Jerry
I am a social wine drinker. After reading your article, I am thinking about getting some of those wine.
Do you have any idea if they will ship to Indonesia? Will there be additional customs fees?
The price range is within my reach. I thought that wine will cost me $40-50/ bottle. But a good $10 wine is something that I can afford.
Hi Arief, thanks for your reply and interest in these Australian Chardonnays. I am pretty sure that wine.com will not be able to deliver to Indonesia as they are completely US oriented. However, I have also an Australian company, called wineswarehouse that delivers within Oceania. I have sent them a message requesting them to inform me about possible deliveries to Indonesia. I also asked them about cost involved. As soon as I receive their reply, I will contact you immediately. Cheers, Jerry